Falling Like Snowflakes
by EternalSorrow
Summary: The Collinwood estate holds many secrets, some of them less earthly than others. One of those is the small child Sarah, a spiritual reminder of a time long past. For Willie Loomis those times constantly intersperse with the present. On this Christmas Sarah and he find themselves bound together to prevent both of them from succumbing to the evil designs of a desperate woman.
1. Chapter 1

Welcome to my Dark Shadows Christmas Special! I hope you enjoy it!

The Collinwood estate holds many secrets, some of them less earthly than others. One of those is the small child Sarah, a spiritual reminder of a time long past. For Willie Loomis those times constantly intersperse with the present, creating a tapestry of terror that haunts his dreams. This adventure, however, holds a touch of sweetness to its soul as Sarah and he find themselves bound together to prevent both of them from succumbing to the evil designs of a desperate woman.

Characters: Willie, Sarah, Barnabas, Julia, OCs.

 **Chapter 1**

"Why'd you have to come to _this_ place?"

The scolder was Willie Loomis, caretaker of the Old House and its resident vampire, Barnabas Collins. The person to whom he scolded was also Willie Loomis, and the reason for his grumblings were the ghostly hunks of stone that surrounded him.

"Why'd you think the cemetery would be a good place to get firewood?" he grumbled.

Contrary to his words, his arms was full of short bundles of dry timber. Winter had come upon Collinsport, a time when the dark shadows of the area were filled with a deep chill. Christmas would soon come to the small community, and with it would come festivities that Willie would view from afar. There would be bright lights at Collinwood and laughter among its many halls, and Barnabas and Julia would mingle among friends and family in a gaiety that came only once a year.

Willie paused to adjust the load in his arms and sighed. Christmas was a time that reminded him of his lonely existence. Even the company of Barnabas and Julia Hoffman provided little in the way of companionship. They were too birds of the same feather while he was a completely different species.

Willie shook himself from his cold ruminations and trudged onward. He had parked his truck at the edge of the cemetery, and the back was already half filled when he rolled his armload across the bed. He dumped the armload onto the tailgate and rolled them deeper into the bed.

Willie turned and leaned his back against the tailgate before he wiped his forehead with his sleeve. A soft white flake fell on his sleeve and made him look up. The white-gray clouds that had lingered over Collinsport all day now threatened to drop its load of heavy snow.

"I sure wish I had some help. . " he muttered to himself. A soft whimper floated over the wind to his ears. He grabbed his flashlight that lay on the open tailgate and spun around. The beam found nothing but the monuments to the dead. "N-not that kind!" he stammered.

The sound came again, and this time his mind was able to comprehend the whimpering. It was that of a small child crying. He took a few steps forward and peered into the growing darkness. It was only a half hour until sunset. Nobody should've been out there, much less a child.

"Hello? Is anyone out there?" he shouted.

The whimpering was quieter. His yellow spine told him to shut the tailgate and get the heck out of there, but there was something so heartbreaking to the sound. Besides, he couldn't leave there. He knew how horrible that place was at night.

"I'm coming," he called as he trudged forward.

The noise kept him on a very familiar path as he walked through the graves. The trail ended at a marble tomb, and Willie paused and shone his flashlight high above him. The name 'Collins' peered down at him with all the disgust befitting that ancient name. He swallowed the lump in his throat.

A loud squeak startled him and he directed his flashlight at the lower front of the tomb. The gate squeaked open a few inches and shut in a slow, repetitive motion. A trembling sigh escaped his lips before he walked up the steps. He grabbed the gate and swung it open, shining his flashlight in the space. All looked as it should-

Willie paused his flashlight over the tomb to his right. He squinted his eyes and took a few steps into the damp room. "What the-?"

The stone coffin belonged to Sarah Collins, the little sister of Barnabas. Her ghost had haunted the area for quite a few months after his return, but she hadn't been seen in a few years, not since giving her brother a verbal beating about his evil behavior.

The beam of Willie's flashlight had found a few strange spots at the far end of the coffin close to the wall on which hung her plaque. The plaque, like those of her parents, was etched with her name and dates of birth and death.

Willie crept closer and paused beside the coffin. He reached down and brushed his fingers across the spots, and came away with damp fingertips. The moisture was warm. He lifted his fingertips to his mouth and flicked out his tongue. The moisture was salty.

Willie leaned back and furrowed his brow. "Tears?" He raised the flashlight to the stone plaque and took a step closer. "You don't need to hide from him anymore, Sarah. He's not so bad."

The only reply was the dampness creeping into his bones. He shivered and grasped the front of his thin coat. Time to go.

Willie half-turned toward the door, but something made him pause. He looked over his shoulder at the far corner of the tomb. His pulse quickened. Was that-? No. His shoulders slumped. Just some rustling shadows reminding him of the coming night.

Willie hurried from the tomb and back to his truck. He forgot to shut the gate to the stone house of the dead, but a small figure appeared in the doorway. She slipped out of the tomb and shut the gate behind her before she followed in the young man's steps.

Willie got into his truck and drove back to the Old House. He'd gathered all the firewood they'd need for a month, but his chore wasn't finished. It had to be stacked in the woodshed behind the house, a chore made easy by the fact that he could back his truck up to the open shed and toss out the hunks of wood.

The main road leading to Collinsport was not as lonely as usual owing to the many pickups loaded with the seasonal treasure, the family Christmas tree. Willie passed several such vehicles, their cabs were full of excited children and tired fathers. The children had only three more nights of intense waiting before that fateful gift-getting day would arrive.

Willie had no such familial or seasonal comforts as he bounced along the rough country road. He was returning to a cold, dark house occupied by two close friends, but that was the extent of his familial connections. Even Maggie Evans was gone from his life.

The sun had only a few minutes of life left by the time he reached the Old House. The extent of the Christmas decorations consisted of a wreath hung on one of the front doors and the replacement in the entrance hall of a few blue candles in favor of some red ones.

Willie parked the truck in back and hopped out. He climbed into the bed where he began tossing the wood into a rickety old shed. It leaned a little, a matter he hadn't had time to remedy, even after all these years.

"Maybe next year. . ." he mumbled to himself. If only people would stop disappearing or being possessed.

Willie was half done with the load when movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention, and he glanced in that direction. The woods of the Collins estate lay thick around the Old House so that he could only see a few feet into the brush. A cloaked figure had their back to him and was hurrying away from the house in a southward direction.

"Hey! Hey, you!" he called out.

They quickened their pace and disappeared into the trees. Willie snatched his flashlight from the passenger seat and barreled into the woods after them.

"What are you doing around here?" he yelled.

The branches swatted his face and the roots tried to trip him. He'd gone fifty yards before he found himself in a small clearing. The figure was nowhere to be seen, but a short hump in the clearing might change that. He climbed on top of the mound and looked in every direction.

A sharp crack beneath him was his only warning before the ground beneath him gave way. Willie fell straight down into a narrow shaft and hit the bottom hard. He cracked the back of his head against a smooth stone and was knocked unconscious.

Willie didn't know how long he laid there, but he was awakened by a soft, soothing voice. The sound was in direct contrast to the greeting his body gave to him. His bones were sore and the pain of bruises covered his arms, legs, and back. He forced his eyes open and was met with darkness. The sun had set, leaving him without its precious light.

But he wasn't alone. A small figure knelt beside him. Willie blinked his eyes at the smiling girl with the bonnet and dress that dated from the eighteenth century.

His cracked lips parted in a whispered name. "Sarah?"

Sarah nodded. "That's right. Are you all right?"

Willie tried to sit up, but he fell back when his body sharply complained, especially his right ankle. It was badly twisted. "I-I don't know. I feel kinda dizzy."

Willie scanned his surroundings. He'd dropped twenty feet into a hole with walls that were lined with smoothed stones. The bottom was littered with the rocks that had fallen free of the ancient mortar that clung between the stones of the walls. The twinkling of stars in the night sky was his only source of light as his flashlight lay shattered beside him.

"I can stay with you until they find you," she offered.

He turned his full attention to her and studied the young girl. She was just as he remembered her, what with her pale dress and bonnet. "What are you doing here? I mean, it's been a long time since anyone saw ya."

"Yes, but you needed me," she pointed out. Willie tried to sit up again, but his body protested so much that he fell back with a cry. Sarah put her hands on his chest. "You shouldn't move."

He shut his eyes and clenched his teeth. "So I noticed."

"My brother told me that when you're lost you need to stay so they can find you," she told him.

Willie peeked open his eyes. "You know, Barnabas has been pretty worried about you."

Sarah's face fell and she turned her head to one side away from his curious eyes. "I know."

"Then why don't you come see him?" Willie asked her.

She shook her head. "Because he's forgotten everything he taught me about being good."

"He isn't like that anymore," Willie insisted.

She shook her head, shaking her long hair like a golden mane. "No! He hurt people! I won't let him see me!"

"But ya gotta be lonely not seeing him. Or anyone else," Willie pointed out. A thought struck him. "How about you see him for Christmas? That'd be the best gift he could get."

"No!" Sarah leapt to her feet and balled her hands into her fists at her side. "I won't see him! I won't!" At her last word she vanished.

Willie started back at the quick retreat of his companion. His head swam at his sudden movement and he lost consciousness.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Barnabas? Barnabas, where are you?" Julia's voice rang out through the Old House.

Barnabas sat in one of the red felt chairs in front of the fireplace located in the sitting room. He looked up from his book in time to see Julia appear through the folding doors that stood on the left side of the mantel. "What is it, Julia?"

Julia stopped at the side of the other chair and grasped the top. Her expression was one of perplexity as she studied the room and the small foyer. "Have you seen Willie?"

He closed the book and shook his head. "Not since last night when he mentioned we were short of firewood. Why?"

"Because his truck is parked out back with the firewood, but I can't find him," she explained.

"I'm sure he's nearby," Barnabas assured her.

Julia held out a flashlight to him. "I'd like to make sure."

Barnabas sighed, but set his book aside and took the torch. "Very well, we will search the grounds, but I am sure he was distracted for a short while and will return soon."

Julia looped her arm through one of his and led him to the paneled doors at the back of the drawing room. "Let's prove that theory, shall we?"

The pair crossed the kitchen and stepped through the back door out into the cold night air. Silence reigned but for the rustling of the leaves along the ground.

Julia shone the beam of her flashlight across the back of Willie's truck with its half-unloaded wood. "Willie? Willie, are you out there?"

"Willie?" Barnabas called.

There was no reply.

Julia turned her attention to Barnabas. "I think something's happened to him."

Barnabas pursed his lips as he scrutinized the area. "I'm starting to think you may be right. Let's go search the woods."

Together the two took off into the trees, but northward toward Collinwood.

A drop of something soft and cold touched his nose. Willie stirred and groaned. His body felt like one giant bruise, and the stones beneath him, though worn soft by countless decades at the bottom of the hole, hardly added to his comfort. He opened his eyes and found himself again staring into the kind face of Sarah. She knelt close beside him.

During his rest the weather had changed, and now snow fell softly through the hole he had created. The white flakes gently settled on his stiff body, but they drifted through the small girl.

He blinked his eyes at Sarah to make sure it wasn't the concussion playing tricks on him. "You're. . .you're back?"

She nodded. "You need me here."

"What I need is to get out of here," Willie countered. He clenched his teeth and made a huge effort to sit up. The wounded young man succeeded and leaned his back against the cold wall, but his breathing came out in harsh gasps. He shut his eyes against the pulsing pain that led deep into his body.

Sarah frowned at him. "I told you not to move."

"I'm fine," he assured her as he looked to his companion. "You know, this isn't any place for a little girl. Even a-" He stopped himself from finishing the sentence.

Sarah bowed her head and shrugged. "I know what you were going to say, but I still want to help you. See?" She slipped her hand into his and smiled at him. "Doesn't that make you feel better?"

Her hand was as cold as ice, but even the touch of a ghost was better than the dampness that surrounded him. Willie tilted his head back and watched the snowflakes fall through the opening. "I gotta get out of here. . ."

"Do you know London Bridge Is Falling Down?" Sarah asked him.

Willie studied the walls that loomed around them, but nodded his head at her question. "Yeah, I know it."

"Do you want to sing it with me?"

Willie shifted and winced. "I don't know if I'm up for it."

She gave a playful tug of his hand. "Please? It will sound so pretty in here."

He managed a smile. "All right, but you have to help me sing it. That way maybe Barnabas or Julia will hear it."

Her face fell. "I don't want Barnabas to hear it."

"Yeah, but it'll help me get out of here," he pointed out.

Sarah's indecision was written across her face. "I want to help, but I don't want Barnabas to see me."

"Then don't let him see ya, but sing real loud for me, okay?" he pleaded.

Sarah nodded. "All right."

They began singing, and the sweet little tune echoed off the stone walls. Their tiny voices were amplified into a chorus befitting a grand cathedral.

 _London Bridge is falling down,_

 _Falling down, falling down._

 _London Bridge is falling down,_

 _My fair lady._

Willie shivered and clenched his teeth as the motion set off all the pain of his bruises. Sarah set her hands on his chest and her eyes studied his pale face. "Are you okay?"

He shook his head. "I don't think so. I feel real cold."

Sarah's eyes widened in fright. "Like I felt a long time ago?"

Willie shut his eyes and clenched his teeth. "I hope not, but I don't know what'll happen if I don't get out of here."

Sarah stiffened her jaw and stood over him. "I'll go get help. Trust me."

When Willie opened his eyes he was alone.

Barnabas and Julia were still in the woods having failed to find any trace of Willie along the Collinwood path. The falling snow reflected in the beam of their flashlights as the soft flakes covered the ground, obliterating their tracks.

"Willie!" Julia called to the darkness.

"Willie! Willie, where are you?" Barnabas chimed in. Their reply was silence.

Julia dropped her arms and shook her head. "This is hopeless. We'll never find him in this weather, not when we don't know where to look."

"I fear your theory about Willie being in danger is turning out to be true," Barnabas mused.

Julia sighed. "Perhaps we should let the others at Collinwood know he's missing-" A noise made her pause. The sound of a soft flute drifted on the wings of the chill breeze.

Barnabas froze. His mouth fell agape as he swept his eyes over the area. "That sound. . ."

Julia mimicked his movements and her eyes widened. "Is that-"

"Sarah!" Barnabas spun around and scoured the area at their backs with his flashlight. "Sarah!"

"I think it's coming from the Old House," she told him. Barnabas sped down the trail like a madman. "Barnabas! Barnabas, wait!" He didn't even slow down. A growl escaped her lips before she hurried after him.

The two ran along the snow-covered path and arrived at the back of the Old House. Barnabas paused and listened to the music, giving Julia a chance to catch up.

"It sounds like it's coming from the southern path," she suggested.

Barnabas didn't speak, but his agreement was shown in his quick dash down her suggested route. They hurried along until they reached the clearing with the mound. The music abruptly stopped, as did Barnabas.

"Sarah! Sarah!" he called. The darkness returned nothing but his own echoing voice.

Julia walked past him and swept the beam of her flashlight over the area. Her searched found the mound with its hole. "What is this?" she asked Barnabas.

He shook himself from his disappointment and looked at what she mentioned. "It is one of my father's failed wells for the Old House. When the water proved insufficient they boarded it up and dug another."

Julia stopped at the edge of the mound and leaned over. "It's not boarded up now."

Barnabas hurried to her side and knelt one knee on the edge of the embankment. "Willie!"

"Barnabas. . ." came Willie's weak reply up the walls of stone. The pair shone their flashlights down the well. Willie's dirty and wet face blinked against the harsh light, but a relieved smile graced his lips. "Boy, am I glad to see you two."

"Are you badly hurt?" Julia asked him.

He shifted and winced. "I-I don't think so, but I can't get up."

Barnabas climbed to his feet. "I will fetch a rope and we will see if we can pull him up."

"Not if he can't get up himself," Julia argued.

"Do you have a better plan?" he countered.

She nodded. "Yes, I'll go down there and inspect his wounds before we yank him up and cause further damage."

"Very well. I'll be back in a moment."

Barnabas hurried to the Old House and fetched a long stretch of thick hemp rope. He returned to the old well and found that Julia had torn away some snow-covered brush to reveal a large stone. "We can wrap the rope around this for leverage while you lower me down, and then you can drop my flashlight down to me," she told him.

Together the pair wrapped one end of the rope tightly around the stone, and Julia tied the other end around her chest just under her arms. She grasped the rope in both hands and eased herself into the hole. Barnabas held onto the other end and gave her more line.

Julia stuck her shoes into a part of the wall where the stones had fallen out. The existing stones proved to be unreliable as a section of the wall fell away and clattered to the bottom of the well, missing Willie by less than a foot.

"Careful!" he squeaked.

"Sorry!" Julia called down.

Barnabas held the rope taught while he stretched his neck to get a better view of her. "Are you all right, Julia?"

"I'm fine, but these walls could give way at any moment," she surmised. Julia avoided the walls and allowed Barnabas to ease her in midair to the bottom. Her feet touched the ground and she gave a light tug on the rope. "I'm down! Drop my flashlight!"

Barnabas' face appeared in the hole and he held out her flashlight. He dropped the object and Julia caught it before it joined Willie's shattered one on the ground. She knelt beside him and used the light to inspect his person.

"Where does it hurt?" she asked him.

He shifted and clenched his teeth. "Everywhere."

Julia rolled up a sleeve and revealed a row of bruises. The beam of her flashlight traveled down his body as she examined him. "There doesn't appear to be any broken bones. However-" she slipped up his right pant leg and pursed her lips, "-this appears to be a bad sprain. Do you think you can stand up on it?"

"I'll do anything if it means getting out of here," he told her.

"All right. I'll go up again and we'll drop the rope down to you. Just slip it over like I have it on me and we'll lift you up. Do you understand?" Willie nodded. Julia stood and pulled on the rope. "I'm ready to be pulled up!"

Barnabas raised her out of the hole and helped her onto the mound. She leaned over and dropped the rope back down. In a moment there was a rough jerk. Together they grabbed the rope and pulled, drawing Willie out of the depths of his dank imprisonment.

In a few short moments he emerged from the darkness and into the falling snow. His body was a mess of bruises and mud, and he shook from the chill. They eased him onto hard ground and Barnabas draped his Inverness cape over him.

He wrapped the coat tight around himself and gave them a quivering smile. "T-thanks, guys," he whispered.

"Don't thank us yet until we get you home," Barnabas scolded him as they drew his arms over their shoulders and carried him homeward.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

A half hour later found Willie seated in one of the plush red chairs that was turned toward a roaring fire. His clothes were changed and a thick afghan was draped over his shoulders. His ankle was bandaged with proficiency and in his hands was a steaming mug of hot coffee. He took a sip and sighed.

Julia inspected her bandage work again before she stepped back and seated herself in the other red chair. "I think you can walk on that in a day or two."

He smiled at her. "Thanks. Really."

Barnabas stood behind Julia's chair like a lurking shadow. "What made you go that way, Willie?"

"I saw someone snooping around the house and chased them that way. I was using the mound to get a better look around when I fell through," he explained.

"Did you recognize them?" Julia asked him.

He shook his head. "No, they were wearing a cloak with a hood." He took another sip before his eyes flickered between the pair. "But how'd you guys find me?"

"The sound of Sarah's flute led us to you," Julia told him as she studied the young man's face. "You didn't happen to see her, did you?"

He nodded. "Yeah, a couple of times."

Barnabas stiffened at Willie's words and grasped the top of Julia's chair. "You saw Sarah?"

"Yeah, she stayed down there with me for a while."

"But why did she appear to you?" Barnabas questioned him.

Willie shrugged and winced when his body complained. "She said she was there because I needed her."

Barnabas pursed his lips and turned his face away. Julia set her hand on Willie's shoulder. "Perhaps she'll come back again, but for the next few days I want you to rest as much as possible. That means no running off into the woods looking for people in cloaks."

Willie stiffened and whipped his head up to her. "But I did see someone!"

"Whatever you saw nearly got you killed, so I recommend you alert Barnabas or me before you go sprinting off looking for more trouble," she advised him. "Now-" she took the empty cup of coffee from him and tugged on his arm, "-let's get you to bed. The wood can wait until morning."

"I did see someone. . ." Willie muttered as he was led limping to his room.

Willie occupied a small servant's room on the third floor of the Old House. There was no source of heat except for the wall made up of a brick chimney that climbed up from the second floor of the house. That room was Josette's, and since it was unoccupied at the moment that meant there was no heat in the dark room they entered.

Julia paused and shivered. "On second thought, I'm not so sure being in here will be beneficial to you."

"I'll be fine," Willie assured her. He drew out of her grasp and limped over to the bed where he sat down on the edge. "I'm used to it."

"Used to it or not, this is a very cold room," she argued as she lit a candle on the short cupboard to her left.

"There's some extra blankets in the cupboard," Willie told her as he eased his bad leg onto the bed. He lay himself down with his head on the pillow and sighed.

Julia removed a few wool blankets from the cupboard and tucked him tightly beneath him. She slipped the afghan out from under him and draped the blanket over his body, giving him a triple layer of protection against the chill.

She pressed a hand lightly against his chest and checked his face. "How do you feel?"

"Tired," he whispered.

"Then rest. I'll check on you in an hour."

Willie closed his eyes and soon had drifted off to sleep. Julia stood and blew out the candle before she exited the room. Outside the window the few scattered snowflakes had changed to a real flurry, and the world like Willie was draped under a thick blanket.

Barnabas stood in the same place when Julia returned to the sitting room, though his eyes now looked into the crackling fire. "What do you think about what Willie said?" she asked him as she slipped into the chair formerly occupied by Willie. Barnabas continued his gazing into the flames. Julia pursed her lips and leaned toward him. "Barnabas?"

Barnabas shook himself and turned to her. "I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

"I was saying I think we should worry about the person Willie saw," she repeated.

Barnabas slipped into the other chair and shook his head. "I'm sure Willie only imagined seeing someone. His mind does play tricks on him."

"Tricks or not, someone snooping around the Old House is bound to have a reason to be here, and I doubt we'll be pleasantly surprised," she mused.

He arched an eyebrow. "Why do you imply their intentions are evil?"

"Are they ever good?" she pointed out.

Barnabas stared ahead and leaned his chin on his clasped hands. A faraway look slipped into his eyes. "I suppose not."

Julia tilted her head to one side as she studied her companion with an expression of pity. "You're still thinking about what Willie said about Sarah, aren't you?"

"How can I think of anything else?" he countered.

Julia leaned back and folded her hands in her lap. "How long has it been since we last saw her?"

"Four years and two months."

"You remember that quite vividly, don't you?" she commented.

Barnabas turned his face away from her and his tone was etched with sorrow. "How can an older brother forget the day his little sister rejected him? I. . .I thought she had vanished completely."

"So how does it make you feel that Willie is the one she appears to?" Julia asked him.

Barnabas tensed. "Perhaps not as glad as I would feel if she had appeared to me."

"That's understandable, but it is very curious that she should appear now, of all times," Julia mused.

Barnabas raised his eyes to her. "Why do you say that?"

She shrugged. "Well, it _is_ the season for families to come together."

"Perhaps, but why then would she show herself to Willie?" he wondered.

"Perhaps she sees in him a child-like mentality close to her own," Julia suggested. "Or perhaps a sibling-substitute in place of yourself."

Barnabas leapt to his feet and scoffed at her suggestion. "Sarah would never choose Willie over me."

"It was only a suggestion," Julia reminded him.

Barnabas stalked over to the window seat and watched the thick snowflakes cover the world. His face was reflected in the glass and showed his expression soften. "Why, Sarah? Why?"

Upstairs Willie shifted and winced as his bruised body complained of every little fidget. A slight movement on the bed made him open his eyes. The small form of Sarah sat on the bed beside him with her facing him. In her lap was her favorite toy, the small, crude ball he'd once found by Barnabas' coffin. He could clearly see her form even in the darkness, though she cast no shadow across the bed.

"Sarah?" he whispered.

She smiled at him. "Hello, Willie."

He carefully eased himself up and propped his back against the headboard. "What are you doing here?"

Her face fell. "Don't you want me to be here?"

The pain in her voice tugged at his heartstrings. "I didn't mean it that way. I was just wondering why you're here. I mean, I'm not in any trouble anymore."

She set her hands in her lap and shrugged. "I just get the feeling you still need me, that's all."

Willie smiled at her. "Well, I'm glad you're here. I wanna thank you for saving me back there. You did me a big favor."

Sarah perked up and her face beamed with pride. "Do you really mean that?"

He gave a nod. "Really."

Sarah bounced on the bed and kicked her feet in front of her. "I'm so glad! So we can be friends, right?"

"Sure thing, but you know, your brother wants to be your friend, too," he told her.

His comment threw a bucket of cold water on her excitement. Her shoulders drooped and she hung her head. "I know. . ."

"Maybe you can see him later?" Willie suggested.

"Maybe. . ." she replied as she slid off the covers to stand beside the bed. She past the window, her small form outlined by the pale color of the falling snow outside, her wide eyes sweeping over the room with innocent curiosity. "I was never allowed up here. Father said it wasn't proper for me to be around the servants' rooms." She bowed her head and bit her lower lip. "It's been ever so long since I saw him. . ."

There was a deep sorrow in her voice that touched the tired young man. "Well, ya know, I don't mind you coming around here."

Sarah spun around to face him with a bright smile. "Do you really mean that?"

Willie nodded. "Sure do."

She held up her toy. "Do you want to play ball with me?"

Willie shifted and winced. "Maybe tomorrow night. I'm not feeling well still."

She skipped over to the bed and grasped his hand in hers. "Then I shall come again and see you."

A knock on the door startled them and Willie turned his head to face it. He didn't notice the tiny hands slip away. "Willie?" came Julia's voice through the wood.

"Come in, Julia," he called before he returned his attention to Sarah. She was gone.

Julia opened the door and stepped inside, but paused just beyond the threshold. "Did I hear you talking with someone?"

"Yeah, Julia, Sarah was just here," he told her.

She studied the room and pursed her lips. "I see. Listen, Willie-" she shut the door behind her and walked over to the bed, "-perhaps you shouldn't mention Sarah to Barnabas, at least for the time being. You know how it affects him."

Willie nodded. "Yeah, I know, and I promise I won't say anything, but Sarah said she might see him soon."

"We should _all_ stop seeing her because you need to get some rest," she insisted as she gently pushed him back down on the pillows.

"All right, Julia," Willie murmured as he drew the blankets around himself.

Julia left him alone as Willie closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. The snow outside had nearly stopped and on the clearing horizon a new day dawned.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

It was mid morning by the time Julia stumbled her way through the woods and onto the edge of the white lawn that surrounded the great estate of Collinwood. The grand house with its tall towers and stone walls stood imperiously before her like a parent scolding their child for being out all night. Even the thick layer of snow couldn't soften the hard edges nor lighten the dark corners of that stoic house.

Julia straightened her creased clothes, wiped away a few crows feet from her eyes, and plastered a bright smile on her face. There was bound to be questions about her late arrival, and she wanted to effect as little concern as possible.

Julia strode up the lawn with more energy than she felt, but a new-born curiosity gave her energy when she noticed an unfamiliar station wagon parked near the front doors. A few wreathes hung on the entrances and as she stepped inside she saw the grand spruce in the foyer had been decorated head to foot in silver tinsel and an assortment of bobbles.

The doors to the drawing room were open, and through them Julia could see Elizabeth Stoddard, mistress of Collinwood, in deep discussion with an unknown woman. The woman was about thirty with bobbed blond hair. She wore a short white skirt and white dress coat over a white shirt. Her blinding ensemble was finished by a pair of white high-heels and a large purse of the same color.

At Julia entering the room, the stranger looked past Liz and at her. Liz glanced over her shoulder and smiled at her long-time guest. "Julia, what a pleasant surprise. I was beginning to worry."

"I'm sorry. Something kept me until this morning," Julia apologized as she walked over to the women.

The pair stood and Liz gestured to the stranger. "Julia, allow me to introduce Miss Deborah Messenger. Miss Messenger, Miss Julia Hoffman. She's a resident historian for my family."

Miss Messenger held out her hand. "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Hoffman. I hope to get some insightful information from you regarding the grounds."

"The grounds?" Julia asked her.

"Oh, excuse me," Liz interrupted. "Miss Messenger is here to take photographs of the estate for a magazine. Here-" she reached down and picked up one of the magazines. Liz flipped through the bright pages full of photos to a particular article. "These are some of her works."

Julia took the magazine and studied the photograph. It was of black-and-white photo of a wizened old tree with gnarled branches. At the bottom typed in bold print was a name. Deborah Spellings.

"Is 'Spellings' your maiden name?" Julia asked her.

"My married name. I'm divorced," she explained.

"How unusual for a professional woman to make a name for herself and then change it," Julia commented.

Miss Messenger shrugged. "Then I guess I'm a very unusual woman."

Julia leaned back and examined the woman with a keen eye. "Did you get into town last night?"

"No, this morning."

"Speaking of last night, Julia-" Liz spoke up, "-were you down at the Old House again?"

Julia nodded. "Yes, I was. Willie had an accident chasing a trespasser off the property-" she kept her sharp gaze on their guest, but the woman merely continued to smile, "-and I thought it best to stay with him for a few hours."

"Oh dear. I hope it's not serious."

"Just a minor concussion. He'll be all right in a day or two," she assured her as she picked up one of the magazines. She flipped through the lump of photos ascribed to their new guest and arched an eyebrow. "You seem to have a fondness for taking pictures of twisted, gnarled trees with bare branches."

Miss Messenger laughed. "I have a strange fascination with the beauty of death," she admitted.

Liz wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. "I don't like such talk."

"Then if you will excuse me, I'd like to start taking pictures."

Liz bowed her head. "Of course, and please show me the results as soon as you can. I'd like to see how you interpret the grounds."

"I will, and thank you again for letting me do this," Miss Messenger replied.

"It's no trouble, now let me show you to the door." Liz and their guest exited the drawing room, leaving Julia alone with the magazines.

She furrowed her brow and tucked the one in her hand inside her suit coat. Coincidences at Collinwood always spelled trouble, and she had a feeling this one would be no different.

The day passed like any other, and at sunset Julia, well-rested from a long day's sleep, walked back to the Old House. The snow crunched under foot and the tough trees held aloft the burden of the heavy mounds of flakes.

Julia paused on the path to the home and tilted her head to one side. A noise had reached her ears. She couldn't place the sound, but there was an unnatural ring to it that made her think of someone jostling a tree.

The noise didn't repeat itself. After a long moment she shrugged and continued onward. Little could she suspect that a blemish existed among those innocence-covered trees.

In the depths of the woods stood a large, gnarled tree. The great arbor stood in the middle of a clearing surrounded by its own ancient roots. Fall had robbed it of its leaves, but not of its character. Its brittle branches showed its long decay, and the hollow hole in the center hinted at its nearing death.

A feminine figure covered in a cloak stood before the tree. Tucked under one arm was an old book bound in aged leather. A large circle of lit black candles wrapped around both the tree trunk and where she stood. The flickering flames cast the figure and the tree in dancing shadows.

The figure drew the book from under her arm and held the tome in her outstretched arm. She opened the thick pages to the back on which was drawn a diagram. The candles were placed in the exact same position as the spots in the picture with the tree standing before a human.

The person raised her hand-revealing long red nails-and their feminine voice boomed over the wintry silence. "Ancient spirits who inhabit this haunted tree, hear my prayer. I wish to call forth the spirit of one who died in innocence." A harsh breeze whirled around the area, extinguishing all the candles but those behind the opposing figures. Their shadows cast into one another in the empty space between them, creating a deep blackness on the ground. "Come to me, spirit. Rise and come!"

The flames of the remaining candles burst upward like flares. Specks of firelight flew out from the central shadow and swirled around in the spot between the woman and the tree. They swiftly formed into a small figure in an old-fashioned dress.

It was Sarah, and she had a pout on her lips as she eyed the woman with suspicion. "Who are you? What do you want with me?"

The woman drew back her cloak to reveal herself as Deborah Messenger. "I want only peace for you, little girl. Peace for you, and peace for me."

"But I like playing here," Sarah insisted.

Messenger knelt down so her eyes were even with those of Sarah. "You must be very lonely, dear Sarah."

Sarah's eyes widened. "How do you know my name?"

"I know a great deal about you, Sarah. About how you died so young and so innocent. That's why I need you to help me, and in return you'll receive peace," Messenger told her.

Sarah took a step back and shook her head. "You won't give me peace! You're evil!"

Messenger laughed. "What makes you say that?"

Sarah pointed at the book. "That's an evil book! I can feel it! You leave me alone!"

Messenger sighed and stood. "I'm afraid I can't do that, Sarah," she cooed as she pressed her palm across the open pages.

Sarah's eyes widened in terror as Messenger opened her mouth to read from the book.

Julia reached the Old House and found an unwelcome surprise. Willie strode the length of the portico with a shovel in his hands and a mess of snow before the hand plow. He pushed the load off the edge and returned for another long pace.

Julia marched up to him. He paused and smiled at her. "Hiya, Julia."

"Willie, what are you doing out of bed? Your ankle probably won't be healed for another day or two," she scolded him.

He shrugged. "I just thought I'd get some shoveling done before it got real dark."

Julia grasped his upper arms and turned him toward the front door. "I think that can wait for another day or two while you get back to bed."

"I'm all right. Really," he insisted.

"I know what I'm talking about-Willie!"

Willie's eyes had rolled back in his head and he collapsed onto the ground.

Julia knelt by his side and shook his shoulders. "Willie! Willie, can you hear me?"

The front doors opened and Barnabas stepped out. "Julia? What's the matter?"

"It's Willie again! He's fainted!"

Barnabas hurried over to them and stood over the pair. "How did it happen?"

Julia grasped one of his hands in hers and shook her head. "I don't know, but we must get him inside. He's as cold as ice."

Willie was even more perplexed than his companions. One minute he was on the portico with shovel in hand and the next he stood in a dark area. The Old House was gone, as was the shovel from his hands. He spun around with his mouth agape. The floor beneath him was pitch-black, and above and around him stretched an endless horizon of darkness.

All except for one small shape a few feet from him. The little figure was huddled on the floor with her legs clutched against her chest. Her head was bowed, but the distinct sounds of a little girl crying came to his ears.

Willie strained his neck and he recognized the unmistakable bonnet. "Sarah?" he whispered.

She raised her head and blinked at him. Her cheeks were stained with tears. "Willie?"

He strode over and knelt beside her. "What are you doing here?"

She looked down at her lap and shook her head. "I don't know. One minute I was out in the woods, and the next I was in here. I've been calling for so long, but nobody came."

Willie set his hand on her shoulder and smiled at her. "Well, I'm here now."

She raised her head and returned his smile. "You are, aren't you? Why are you here?"

He swept his eyes over the area as he shook his head. "I don't know. I don't even know where 'here' is."

"Maybe this is you," she suggested.

Willie blinked at her. "What's that?"

She stuck her lips out in an impatient pout. "I said maybe we're inside you."

He leaned back and studied her with doubt in his eyes. "Me? I don't get it."

"You will understand soon." The darkness around them deepened. Her small form faded into the shadows.

"Hey! Hey, wait a minute!" Willie protested as he tried to grab her. His arms came up empty. Willie struggled to his feet and looked around at the growing darkness. "What'll I understand? What?"

Only her faraway voice responded. "Soon. You'll understand soon."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Julia and Barnabas had managed to drag Willie into the drawing room and set him in one of the chairs before the fire. His face was deathly pale and his breathing was labored. Julia checked his pulse on his wrist and frowned.

"How is he?" Barnabas asked her.

She set his arm over that of the chair and looked down at him before she shook her head. "I don't know. His pulse is fast-unusually fast-and he seems to have lost a great deal of color."

The pair started back when Willie puffed out his chest. His eyes shot open and a great gasp escaped his lips. He clutched onto the arms of the chair as his body twitched.

"Help me hold him down!" Julia ordered Barnabas as she grasped one arm.

Barnabas grabbed the other, and together they pinned him to the chair until the tremors stopped. Willie fell back against the chair and his eyes became half-lidded. They stared at the floor, but there was a lack of focus in their depths.

Julia set a hand on Willie's shoulder and leaned down to examine his face. "Willie? Willie, can you hear me?"

A childish smile slipped onto his lips. "Willie. . ." he whispered. "Willie is nice." Willie's head drooped backward and his eyes closed.

Julia shook his shoulder. "Willie? Willie?"

"He's out cold," Barnabas assessed.

Julia straightened and studied the pale young man. "I don't like this."

"Do you think it could be some trauma from his fall?" Barnabas wondered.

She shook her head. "I'm not sure, but let's get him to bed. I have a feeling he's going to be out for a while this time."

The pair hefted the young man up the stairs and to his third floor bedroom. They gently set him atop the mattress and Julia made sure to cover him with a heavy dose of sheets. She stepped back to admire their work, and the young man.

"I don't think Willie should be left alone," Julia mused.

"Why?" Barnabas asked her.

She shook her head. "I can't say, but I just have this feeling that something bad is happening."

"Then I'll stay with him until sunrise," Barnabas offered.

Julia sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "If you don't mind I'll go lay down myself."

Barnabas nodded. "Of course. I'll call you if there's any change."

She reluctantly left the room. Barnabas drew up the only chair in the bedroom and seated himself beside the sickbed. Willie's chest moved up and down at a healthy pace, though his face was still pale. Barnabas drew the sheets up to Willie's chin and leaned back to await the end of another long night among many.

The mood in the woods was not so serene. Miss Messenger stood before the tree with the book open in one arm and her other arm raised above her. "I command you to return, Sarah! I command it!" Her reward was silence and an empty black circle. She looked down at the book and flipped the pages. "Why isn't this working?"

One of the headings caught her attention. She set her finger on the line below the header and scanned the lines with the tip of her fingernail. Her black mood soured further as she ground her teeth together.

She slammed the book shut and growled. "Damn it! How the hell could she-" She stopped herself and shook her head. "It doesn't matter. I'll just have to find out where she is." She raised her gaze to the white forest around her and cleared her throat. "Ben!"

The dark figure of a man shambled out of the deepest shadows, but remained mostly hidden by the night. His arms hung limp at his sides, and at face-level were a pair of empty white eyes that glistened even in the dim light.

Messenger stalked over to him and grabbed one of his listless hands. She raised his hand so the palm was turned upward. The skin was as pale as death. She extended her index finger on her empty hand and stabbed her long, red fingernail into his palm. The man didn't even start back.

Messenger dragged her fingernail along his flesh, and with each cut she drew the outline of a pentagram. The gashes were deep, but no blood poured forth. She finished her drawing and pricked her thumbnail against her middle finger. A drop of blood appeared from the wound. She smeared the small quantity over the pentagram. The man groaned.

"Hold still," she snapped as she finished her job. Messenger slapped his wounded hand and the pentagram came alive with a red glowing light. She looked up at the figure and pointed at the woods. "Now find her again."

The figure turned and walked away into the night.

Julia sat in one of the high-backed chairs before the dead embers of the fire. Her head was lolled to one side and her chest moved up and down in the comfort of deep sleep. The clock above the mantle showed the time to be a mere hour into the night. She sat up and stretched her arms above her head. Movement at the windows caught her attention and she looked in that direction.

A horrible rotting face stared at her through the glass.

Julia screamed. The face vanished from the window. Footsteps clambered down the steps and Barnabas appeared in the doorway of the drawing room. "Julia, what's happened?"

She pointed a shaking finger at the bay window. "S-someone was there! Just now there was a face looking in!"

Barnabas raced to the door and Julia followed. He flung open the door and glanced to his right at the windows. No one was there. Barnabas cautiously stepped out to the end of the portico and searched all around the area. He saw nothing.

"There doesn't appear to be anyone around," Barnabas commented.

"There was someone there," she insisted.

Barnabas set a hand on her shoulder. "Let's go back inside."

They reentered the house and Barnabas shut the door behind them. "Perhaps your mind imagined the face."

Julia pressed her hands together against the center of her face as she walked a few paces into the house. At his question she stopped and shook her head. "I'm sure I saw a man, and yet-" she paused and furrowed her brow.

Barnabas came up to her side to stand between Julia and the staircase. "And yet what?"

Julia turned to meet his gaze. "And yet something was wrong with him. His skin was so pale."

Barnabas' eyes widened. "Another vampire?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't have enough time to-" She paused and frowned. "Do you hear that?"

Barnabas tilted his head to one side and listened. A tune came to his ears. The notes combined to create a soft, playful song. The kind children would sing to one another.

Barnabas hurried from the room and raced up the stairs. Julia followed on his heels up the two flights of stairs and both of them halted in the open doorway to Willie's room. The snow reflected a soft light into the room so that they could see onto the bed. Willie sat up with his back against the headboard. He tossed a ball into the air and caught it. Time and again he tossed it up and caught it down, and while he did so he sung a familiar song.

"London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down. London Bridge is falling down, my fair lady. Take the key-"

"Willie?" Julia spoke up. Her voice broke the spell.

Willie caught the ball and stared ahead as he blinked his eyes. After a moment he swayed a little and clutched his head. "J-Julia?" he whispered.

Barnabas remained in the doorway as Julia strode over to his bedside. "Yes, Willie, it's me. How are you feeling?"

Willie shook his head to clear the fog. "Like something's stuck in my head." He glanced down at his lap where he clutched the ball in one hand. The young man raised the ball even with his face and studied the old toy with confusion written across his face. "Where'd this come from?"

Julia leaned over the bed. "Don't you remember anything about what just happened?"

He shook his head. "No. What happened?"

"You were singing London Bridge," she told him.

Willie scoffed. "That's crazy talk, Julia. Why would I be singing that?"

Julia slipped her hand into her pocket and drew out her talisman. "I don't know, but I think we should find out."

"A moment," Barnabas spoke up as he joined Julia at Willie's bedside. He held out his hand. "Let me see that ball." Willie handed the toy to Barnabas who inspected the ball with extreme interest. His lips tightened. "This is Sarah's ball."

Julia sat side-saddle on the bed and held the medallion in front of Willie. "That's an interesting observation, but it doesn't tell us what's going on."

"And you believe hypnotizing Willie will?" he returned.

"Wait wait wait!" Willie spoke up as he tried to scuttle away from Julia. "I ain't gonna be hypnotized by no one!"

"This won't hurt a bit, I promise," Julia assured him as she began to swing the medallion back and forth.

Willie's eyes naturally followed the moving object. "I don't wanna. . .be. . .hypno-" His eyes closed and his head drooped.

Julia knelt on the floor beside the chair and set a hand on his arm. "Willie, can you hear me?" Willie shook his head. Julia leaned back and frowned. "But you just did, Willie."

"I'm not Willie," Willie mumbled.

"Then who are you?" Julia asked him.

An innocent smile slipped onto his lips. "Me."

"What's your name?" Julia persisted.

"I'm Sarah."

Barnabas started back before he narrowed his eyes. "Willie, if this is some sort of game you're playing then I find it in bad taste."

Julia squinted at Willie's face and furrowed her brow. "I don't think this is a game." Her eyes flickered up to Barnabas." What color were Sarah's eyes?"

"Brown, but what does that matter?"

"And Willie's eyes are blue, correct?"

"Yes."

Julia straightened and gestured down at their unconscious companion. "Because Willie's blue eyes are now brown."

Barnabas furrowed his brow as he glanced from Willie to Julia. "I don't understand. What does that mean?"

"It means something's happened to Willie, and Sarah appears to be involved," she mused.

Willie shut his eyes and his face scrunched up. "Barnabas. . ." he moaned.

Barnabas laid his hand on Willie's shoulder. "I'm here, Willie."

Willie's eyes flew open and he shrank away from Barnabas' touch. His voice was high-pitched and frantic. "No! Go away!"

"Why should Barnabas go away?" Julia asked him.

Willie turned his face away from them and glared at the wall. "Because I don't want to see him! That's his punishment!"

Barnabas' mouth dropped open as he fell to his knees beside the chair. "Sarah. . .Sarah, is it truly you?"

Willie shut his eyes. "Go away!"

Julia glanced over across the chair at Barnabas. "Barnabas, I think you should leave."

He looked up and frowned at her. "If Sarah is involved than-"

"Then that's exactly why you _should_ leave," she insisted. "She obviously doesn't want to speak with you, and if we're going to find out what's happened we're going to need her help."

"But I'm not the same as I was before!" Barnabas insisted as he returned his attention to the figure before him, the figure that contained the essence of his younger sister. "Sarah, I've changed! I swear I've changed!"

She shook her head. "No! Go away!"

"Barnabas!" Julia warned him.

Barnabas' face fell, but he reluctantly rose to his feet. His gaze remained ever on the small form in front of him. "All right, Sarah, but please remember that I still love you."

Willie squeezed his eyes shut and a few loose tears slid down his cheeks. Barnabas turned away from her and ventured downstairs to his coffin. At the last echo of his footsteps Julia inched closer and slipped her hand into one of Willie's.

"Willie-Sarah, can either of you hear me?" she whispered.

Willie's eyes opened. They were still brown and still full of tears. "Is he. . .is he gone?"

Julia nodded. "He's gone, now can you tell me what happened?"

She shook her head. "I can't because I don't know. I was called somewhere in the woods, and there was a woman waiting for me. She wanted me to do something, but I was scared, so I went to Willie. Willie's always been kind to me, so I knew he'd help me."

"You went _inside_ Willie?" Julia asked her.

She nodded. "Yes, but I'm sort of sorry now that I did it. He was so frightened when it happened. I didn't mean for him to be frightened."

"Do you know what the woman wanted you for?" Julia wondered.

She scrunched her face up. "I'm not sure. She said something about freeing me, but I didn't believe her. She looked like a liar. You know what I mean, don't you?"

Julia nodded. "Yes, I know. What did this woman look like?"

"She. . .she-" Sarah's eyes rolled back and Willie's form slumped down in the chair.

Julia's pulse quickened as she looked them over. "Sarah! Willie!"

Willie's eyes fluttered open. They were a brilliant blue. He raised himself up in the chair and looked around himself in bewilderment. "Where's Barnabas?"

Julia knelt beside his chair and studied his bright eyes. "Do you remember anything that just happened?"

He shook his head. "No, why? What's going on?"

Julia pursed her lips. "I wish I knew, Willie, I wish I knew."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Willie leapt to his feet. "Whatta ya mean you don't know?" Julia turned her face away, so he slipped in front of her. "Julia, come on. What's happened to me? What's going on?"

Julia folded her arms across her chest and pursed her lips. "I believe. . .I believe Sarah has somehow inhabited your body."

Willie's jaw dropped to the floor. "Say what?"

Julia raised her gaze to catch his. "Just what I mean. Sarah is inside of you."

The young man shook his head. "You're talking crazy now, Julia. Sarah can't be inside me. There's just no way."

"I'm telling you the truth, Willie. Somehow, for some reason, Sarah was frightened and sought refuge inside you," Julia insisted.

Willie looked down at himself and patted his chest. "But I feel just the same. Just like normal."

 _Willie._

Willie's eyes widened before they flickered up to the ceiling. "Who's there? Who said that?"

"I didn't say anything, Willie," Julia told him.

 _Willie, please help me._

Willie frowned. "Sarah? Is that you?"

"Willie, what's the matter?" Julia questioned him.

Willie shook his head as he turned in a circle. "I don't know. I can hear Sarah, but I don't see her."

Julia's eyebrows shot up. "You can hear her even now?"

He nodded. "Yeah, but where is she?"

Julia set a hand on his shoulder as his back faced her. "Willie, I know this is hard to believe-maybe even impossible-but Sarah really is inhabiting your body."

He looked over his shoulder at her with his mouth slightly agape. "But how? How's that possible?"

Julia shrugged. "I'm afraid my field is blood, not apparitions."

Sarah's quiet sniffle reached his ears. _Willie, I_ _'m scared._

Willie raised his eyes to the ceiling. "Don't be scared, Sarah. I'm here with ya."

"So you truly can hear her?" Julia questioned him.

"Can't you?" he asked her.

She shook her head. "No. It must be a side-effect of your connection, or perhaps even an ability Sarah chooses to use."

Willie turned to her and grasped her upper arms. "But what if she's gonna be in my forever, Julia? What if she can't get out until I. . .I-"

"Die."

Willie and Julia whipped their heads to the drawing room archway. Barnabas stood beneath it with his eyes fastened on Willie.

Julia slipped in front of Willie. "Barnabas, I don't think now's a good time for you to come back. Sarah might take hold of Willie at any moment-"

" _What?_ " Willie shrieked.

"-and run away with his body," Julia finished.

Willie started back. "Wait a minute here! I don't want anyone to be running off with my body!"

"Sarah is my sister," Barnabas insisted as he strode up to them. His gaze remained fixed on Willie's face. "And I intend to help her through whatever trouble has forced her into Willie's body."

"What about _me?_ " Willie yelped.

"We'll help you, too, Willie, but first I think we should follow up on what Sarah told me," Julia suggested.

Barnabas reluctantly turned his attention to Julia. "And that was?"

"That something made her so terrified for her soul that she fled into Willie's body," Julia told him.

"That isn't much to go on," he pointed out.

She shrugged. "If that's all we have then it's all we have, though I might point out that whoever called her might not have been far away. According to Stokes even magic has its physical limitations."

"Those limitations could be from here to Bangor," Barnabas snapped.

While the pair bickered among themselves, Willie eased himself down into one of the chairs. He couldn't deny what Julia had told him. There was a different feeling inside of him, a sensation like the tingling at the back of one's mind when trying to recall a long-sought memory. He could even feel a soft emotion pulsing from the point. Sarah was in there, all right, and judging by the emotion she was terrified.

A thought struck Willie. If she was in his body, then maybe she was in his mind. He clutched his temples in his hands and closed his eyes. _Sarah?_

There was a soft sniffle. _Willie?_

 _You can hear me?_

 _Yes, I can hear you._

 _Can you tell us anything else about what you saw?_ he asked her.

 _I-I don_ _'t know. It happened so fast._ There was a brief pause. He could _feel_ the turn of her mind inside of his. It was like the connection he used to have with Barnabas, only this was a more symbiotic relationship. _I think. . .I think I saw a big dead tree._

 _You_ _'re sure?_ he persisted.

 _Yes._ There came another sniffle from her. _Willie, what if the woman catches me?_

 _I won_ _'t let her do that_ , he promised.

 _Do you promise?_

A smile slipped onto Willie's lips. _I promise_.

"Willie?" Willie's eyes flew open and he found both his companions standing over him. It was Julia who had spoken his name. "Willie, are you all right? Your face looked a little pale."

"I'm all right, but Sarah isn't," Willie replied as he stood. "She's scared. Real scared."

"You communicated with her without speaking?" Julia questioned him.

He tapped his temple. "Yeah. She's in here, too."

"Did she tell you anything that would help us?" she wondered.

Willie nodded. "Yeah. She said the place in the woods where the woman called her had a big dead tree."

Barnabas pursed his lips. "That could refer to dozens of trees in the woods."

Julia cupped her chin in her hand and furrowed her brow. "True, but I don't think just any tree can be used in a dark ritual. There has to be some sort of importance to its physical structure, or even an event in its history." Her eyes flickered to Barnabas. "I recall when investigating your family history that there was such a legend in the woods that surround the Old House."

Barnabas nodded. "Yes, the Hag Hawthorn. It was said to be dark even during the day, but I never took stock enough to investigate the legend."

A pounding on the front door made the group jump. "Please! Please, is anyone home!" a woman cried out.

Barnabas hurried to the front door and his companions followed him as far as the sitting room archway. He opened the entrance and revealed Miss Messenger. She held a flashlight in one hand and her other grasped the door frame. Her cheeks were red and she breathed hard. The newly falling snow covered her shoulders and hair as well as her tracks that led up to the door.

At the sight of the woman Willie felt a terrible tug inside of himself. Sarah's fear pulsed within him like a terrible drumbeat.

Miss Messenger threw herself at Barnabas and clutched the front of his suit jacket. "Please, you have to help me! My daughter's disappeared!"

Barnabas grabbed her hands and drew her off him. "Your daughter?"

Miss Messenger's gaze settled on Julia. Her eyes widened and she brushed past Barnabas and over to the other woman. "Please help me, Miss Hoffman! I can't find my daughter anywhere!"

"You didn't mention having a daughter when you were with Mrs. Stoddard," Julia pointed out.

The young woman shook her head. "No. I was afraid Mrs. Stoddard wouldn't let me take pictures if she knew I had my child with me, and I only left her alone in my car for a short while-" A sob escaped her throat. She cupped her forehead in one hand as her body shook with anguish. "What am I going to do? She's only nine and doesn't know her way around here. If you don't help me then-" Another fit of sobbing overcame her.

Julia grasped the woman's arms and smiled down at her. "Of course we'll help you find her."

"I'm afraid that isn't possible right now," Barnabas argued as he frowned at Julia. "We're in rather a difficult situation ourselves at the moment, and-"

"And a missing child in the woods won't help our situation any more," Julia interrupted him. She returned her attention to the woman in her arms. "Let me get some flashlights and we'll help you."

Miss Messenger raised her tear-stained face and smiled at Julia. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

Julia cast a warning glance at Barnabas before she hurried to the kitchen. Miss Messenger wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. "I'm so sorry to trouble you with this. I really am at my wit's end."

Barnabas plastered a false smile on his face and bowed his head to her. "It's nothing. We're glad to be of help."

Julia returned with a pair of flashlights, one of which she handed to Barnabas before she turned to Miss Messenger. "We'll start at your vehicle and fan out from there."

Miss Messenger's gaze fell on Willie. "You're not coming?"

"Willie will stay behind in case your daughter should come here," Barnabas told her.

The young woman smiled at the group. "I see. Thank you all so much for helping me."

Julia grasped the woman's arm and led her outside. Barnabas turned to Willie. "You will remain here until we return."

Willie narrowed his eyes. "What's the real reason I can't help, Barnabas?"

"It is too dangerous in the woods."

"For me, or Sarah?" Willie questioned.

"For both of you, now I don't want to argue with you anymore," Barnabas told him.

He turned and followed the women, shutting the door behind him. Willie glared at the entrance, but he couldn't deny the danger. He paused his ire when he realized he could hardly feel Sarah's presence.

 _You still there, Sarah?_

 _Yes. . ._

 _You still won_ _'t talk to Barnabas, will ya?_

 _No. . ._

Willie sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He could've used her ability to hide herself years ago.

 _Do you hate my brother for what he did to you?_ Sarah asked him.

Willie dropped his hand to his side and shrugged. _I guess I don_ _'t. Not anymore. I told ya he wasn't the same._

There was a brief moment of silence, and then Sarah's tiny voice echoed in his mind. _Maybe. . .maybe I_ _'ll talk to him on Christmas._

Willie smiled. _He_ _'d like that present. It's a lot better than the one I got him._

 _What did you get him?_ Sarah asked him.

 _A new pillow for his coffin._


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Willie paced the floor wringing his hands in front of him. He paused and glanced at the clock. The others had been gone only ten minutes. It felt like an eternity.

His ears perked up as he heard a faint noise outside the front door. The eternity was at an end. He hurried to the entrance, but had only reached the archway when a terrible pounding came from the door. He froze and watched as the ancient doors rattled beneath the onslaught of a pair of fists. Their old hinges couldn't take the strain and they were torn from the frame. The doors clattered to the ground and revealed a shadowy figure.

A wisp of wind blew in through the open hole and extinguished much of the comfort-giving candlelight. Willie stumbled back deeper into the drawing room as the thing shambled into the house. It stepped into the candlelight that came from behind Willie and he received his first, hideous view.

Willie's eyes widened as he beheld a monstrous creature of rotten flesh. His clothes hung on his body like poorly designed drapery. The worst of the creature was his eyes. The light of sentient life had gone out of them, leaving only empty black holes devoid of emotion.

The thing that was once a man stumbled toward him like a drunkard, but the way it moved around the furniture bespoke a greater agility than its shambling legs showed.

Willie slipped around behind the farthest chair and grasped the top with both hands. "G-get away! Get out of here!"

 _Run, Willie!_ Sarah shouted in his head.

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Willie yelped as the creature reached out for him.

Willie ducked its arms and dashed through the room and to what remained of the front doors. He clambered over them and out into the white night. A thick snowfall surrounded him and blanketed the top of his head and shoulders in their pale embrace.

Willie raced across the portico and down the steps where his feet sank into the deep drifts that surrounded the house. He struggled to stand upright and chanced a glance over his shoulder. The monster walked out of the house with a quick step and hurried over to him.

 _I_ _'m scared!_ Sarah yelled.

Willie could feel the vibrations of her fear run through him. She needed comfort. She needed _him_. He stiffened his jaw and spun around to face the beast. "I won't let it hurt either of us," he swore to her.

The monster dove into the drifts and followed Willie's tracks over to him. Willie stuck his hands into the deep drifts and searched the invisible world beneath the white snow.

 _Willie, run!_ Sarah screamed as the monster almost reached them.

"This is gonna work," Willie insisted as the thing reached out its gray hands for them.

Willie's own searching hands struck several hard objects. His fingers wrapped around them and he yanked them from the snow. The soft white fluff blew upwards, startling the monster back a step. Willie shook off the snow and revealed a thick branch that had fallen from the trees around them.

He grasped the branch like a bat and drew back his arms. A grin slipped onto his lips as the monster's empty eyes widened. "Time to knock this off."

Willie swung as hard as he could. The thick branch connected with the side of the thing's head. The creature gave a pain-filled groan and slammed into the snow. It sank into the deep white stuff and lay still.

Willie dropped the stick on the snow beside him and wiped his brow with the back of his hand. "That was close."

 _How did you know the branch was there?_ Sarah asked him.

He smiled. "Nobody else picks up the branches around here, and I didn't have time to pick them up before the snow came. Guess it was a good thing for us."

"A good thing for the three of us," a voice behind him spoke up.

Willie's eyes widened and he partially turned his head. That was as far as he got before something hard hit the back of his head and he had a quick trip into unconsciousness.

Julia cupped her hands over her mouth and took a deep breath. "Miss Messenger! Where are you?"

Barnabas shone his flashlight over the thick white forest that surrounded him. "She couldn't have gone far."

The pair stood alone in one of the small groves that dotted the Collins woods. The frantic mother had disappeared a few minutes before, leaving them without even footprints to follow.

Julia dropped her hands and studied the woods with her sharp eyes. "I have a feeling she's farther away than we think."

"What do you mean?" Barnabas questioned her.

Julia turned to face him. "What I mean is I think she sent us out here on a wild goose chase."

"For what purpose?" he wondered.

She threw up her arms. "How should I know? All I know is she was here one moment and gone. Nobody could disappear that quickly without doing so intentionally."

While Julia complained about their vanished guide Barnabas glimpsed something black through a wall of thick brush. He pushed through the ever-deepening snow and peeked through the white branches. His eyes narrowed. "Julia."

"What is it?" she snapped.

"There is something you must see."

She humphed and trudged over to where he stood. Barnabas drew aside the branches and revealed the small hollow in which Messenger had performed her unholy calling of Sarah.

Julia stumbled through the brush and gaped at the markings and burnt candles. "My god. . ."

"I doubt His hand was in this," Barnabas mused as he followed her and knelt beside the circle in which Sarah had appeared. He brushed his hand over the black lines and furrowed his brow. "This must be where Sarah was called, and where she was so frightened."

Julia froze and her lips parted in a stifled gasp. She spun around to face Barnabas as he rose. "Barnabas, that means-"

He nodded. "Yes. Miss Messenger is undoubtedly the person who called Sarah, but for what purpose I cannot fathom."

Julia hurried over to him and shook her head. "No, that means she led us here, and _away from the house!_ "

Barnabas' eyes widened and a strangled gasp escaped his lips. "Sarah!"

The pair hurried through the deep snow and rough branches. They arrived at the Old House to find the doors beaten down and the house darkened by the extinguished candles. Barnabas hurried up the steps, but Julia paused in the snow.

"Sarah!" Barnabas shouted as he rushed across the fallen doors. "Sarah! Willie!"

"Barnabas, out here!" Julia yelled.

Barnabas dashed outside and found Julia beside a deep trail in the snow. She pointed at the ruts. "It looks like someone was dragged away."

Barnabas followed the tracks with his eyes. They led to the empty spot where Miss Messenger's station wagon had been parked. He stumbled through the snow to where the car had once been, and Julia followed him.

She pursed her lips as her eyes followed the wheel tracks. "The way it's snowing we might lose the trail."

"But we must try," he insisted.

The pair hurried to Julia's own car and soon sped off down the road guided by the disappearing tire tracks.

Willie groaned. He felt like he'd been hit by a truck. His eyes flitted open and he found himself staring at horribly familiar walls. It was the dank and cold Collins family tomb on Eagle Hill. A few candles were placed at the corners of the crypt and their light caused shadows to dance on the walls.

Willie glanced on either side of him and his eyes widened. He lay on top of the third stone coffin. _Sarah_ _'s_ coffin. He tried to jump up, but his arms and legs were strapped to his body by tight, rough ropes.

A shadow fell over him. He looked up and yelped. A person in a black cloak stood at the foot of the coffin near the door. Behind them in the open doorway to the tomb was the monstrous creature from the Old House. The figure drew back their hood and revealed themselves to be Messenger.

A soft, gentle smile graced her lips as she strode over to Willie's side. "I'm so sorry," she cooed as she stroked his hair. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"W-what the hell's going on?" Willie asked her as he strained against the ropes. "Why am I here?"

Messenger's face twisted in disgust. "I'm not talking to you, boy. I'm talking to Sarah."

"Sarah?" Willie squeaked. "What's she got to do with this?"

"Everything," Messenger told him. Willie yelped as she plucked one of his hairs from his head. The woman stepped away and walked around to the far side of the adjoining coffin. A thick, ancient book lay on the coffin, and beside that was a small vase. She opened the book and flipped through until she found the right page. "Now stop squirming. This won't take very long."

"Why are you gonna do to me?"

"I'm not doing anything to you. Yet," the woman cooed as she opened the vase and poured the contents onto the lid of the coffin. It was black, powder-like substance. The woman shut the vase and gently spread the contents further over the stone coffin. "There you go, Emily. Soon you'll be yourself again."

"What are you talking about? Who's Emily?" Willie questioned her.

She cradled the vase in her arms and rocked it to and fro. "Emily is my daughter, or rather, was. She died a year ago this very night, but you're going to help me bring her back. Both of you."

"Y-you're nuts if you think I'm helping any dead body be brought back!" Willie snapped.

She laughed. "I'm afraid you have no choice." She tilted her head to one side and studied his bindings. "But I see you've been working away at your ropes. Ken?"

The creature shuffled up to Willie's side and tightened the ropes. Willie started back at the cold, clammy touch of the creature.

"Don't be afraid of him," she cooed as she set her hand on Ben's shoulder. "He's just Ben, my ex-husband. 'Ex' in many ways, that is. We divorced after sweet Emily passed on, but I still needed his help." She brushed her fingers across his throat. Willie's eyes widened as he beheld a long scar where a knife had been dragged across the skin. "It was so easy to kill him. Just a simple flick of a knife, but bringing back his soul-" she sighed and shook her head as he shambled back to the doorway, "-that wasn't quite as successful as I'd hoped."

Willie's pulse quickened "Y-you killed him?"

She returned her attention to him and nodded. "Oh yes. I needed to see if the spell would work before I used it on Emily. With his help I learned that I needed a conduit to the other side, a guide, if you would. I found just the person." She raised her eyes to the plaque on the wall. "Sweet, innocent Sarah will work perfectly to lead my Emily back to me."

The young man frowned. "But what's gonna happen to Sarah?"

She laughed. "You should be more worried about yourself, sir. With her mission fulfilled Sarah will be sent to the other side to rest in peace, but you-" she raised her hand above the ash and dropped his hair onto the pile of dust, "-you will provide the body."

Willie's voice was an octave higher than usual. " _I_ _'m gonna what?_ "

She gestured to the ashes before her. "These ashes are all that remain of my dear little girl. I thought I'd use Ben to provide the flesh and bone, but you'll do much better. So handsome and alive. Your flesh will be reworked into her image and you will live on as her body."

"No deal!" Willie refused as he thrashed in the binding of the ropes.

"You don't have a choice," she countered as she picked up the book and cleared her throat. "Ancient spirits who inhabit this hallowed vault, hear my prayer. I wish to call forth the spirit of one who died in innocence." The pages of the book shivered as a chilling breeze swept through the tomb. "I give you a sacrifice of soul and form so that you might return my daughter to me!"

Messenger reached into her cloak and drew out a long dagger. Willie flailed harder as she walked over to where he lay. She raised the dagger over him and its silver blade glistened in the pale light of the whipping candles.

"Take this form now!" she screamed as she plunged the dagger downward.

Willie felt a sharp pain in his chest, and then nothing.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"You must drive faster," Barnabas insisted.

"I can't," Julia snapped.

The pair sat in her car as she drove along the main road to Collinsport. Traffic was non-existent so that they couldn't confuse the tracks they followed with anyone else's, but that was the least of their problems.

"The tracks are disappearing. We must hurry," Barnabas reminded her.

"It's precisely why they're disappearing that I must go slow," she growled as the car fish-tailed on the slick road.

Julia tapped on the brakes and got all the car moving straight. She leaned over the wheel and squinted into the darkness. Her twin headlights barely illuminated the road. She pursed her lips and slowed to a stop.

"Why are you stopping?" Barnabas questioned her.

"Because I can't see the tracks any longer," she announced.

Barnabas scanned the road. "They must be here somewhere."

Julia glanced over to him, but something past him caught her eyes. She nodded at a dark road on the right side of the car. "Isn't that the road to Eagle Hill?"

"Yes, but-" Barnabas paused and whipped his head in that direction. "Sarah!"

"The family tomb," Julia agreed as she backed up the car and turned them onto the old road.

While they ventured closer to their friends Willie was venturing into the unknown. The darkness that had engulfed him and numbed his pain receded, and when he could see again he no longer lay in the tomb, but in that dark, endless room.

Sarah's small form ran out of the blackness and crashed into him. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his chest. "Please help me, Willie! Please!"

He grasped her in a tight hug and shook his head. "I don't know-"

Then he heard it. The clacking sound of sharp claws on a hard surface. He looked at where Sarah had come from and his eyes widened as he watched a gray wolf emerge from the darkness. The thing was larger than any wolf he'd ever seen, even in the zoos. It stopped at the edge of his vision and bared its fangs at the pair. Its eyes glowed with an unnatural yellow light.

Sarah shrieked and pressed herself closer to Willie. "It wants to eat me! Please don't let it eat me!"

"G-get behind me," Willie ordered her as he drew the shivering girl behind him.

The wolf turned right and stalked them in a circle, forcing Willie to turn to keep facing it.

"Here they are!" Messenger's voice shouted from the darkness. "Devour them whole as my sacrifice and in exchange return to me my daughter, protector of the dead!"

The wolf stopped its pacing and snarled at the pair. It crept closer, its hideous eyes set on their throats.

"Stay back!" Willie shouted as he inched them away from the approaching beast.

"Willie, my ball!" Sarah yelled

Willie looked down as she shoved her precious toy into his face. He took the toy from her, but shook his head. "What am I supposed to do with this?"

She half-turned away from him and pointed at the wolf. "Throw it at him!" The wolf snarled at her finger.

Willie shrugged and drew back his arm. "I guess I got nothing to lose."

The wolf let loose a terrible howl and lunged at them. Willie threw a fast-ball at the beast and his aim was true. The ball hit the wolf square in the forehead. The beast yelped and dropped in a heap onto the ground. A plume of smoke rose from the spot where the ball had struck it, and the scent of singed hair wafted over the area.

The ball tumbled onto the dark floor and rolled back to them. Sarah picked it up and gave it back to Willie. "Again!"

The wolf staggered to its feet and swayed from side-to-side. The ball had burned away all the hair on its forehead and then some. It shook itself and caught its balance as Willie aimed the ball. The beast sprinted to their left and took a sharp turn toward them. Willie threw the ball and it struck the wolf in the center of its chest.

The ball disappeared into its thick mess of mane fur and a bright light burst outward. The wolf dropped to the floor and didn't move as the light engulfed its body and spread outward. Sarah clutched Willie as he held tightly to her with his eyes shut as they were engulfed.

There was a brief pause of silence, and then a cold breeze made Willie open his eyes. They were back in the tomb and Sarah was still in his arms. The pair stood at the foot of Sarah's coffin. The dagger that had stabbed him lay on the top covered in his blood.

Willie looked down at himself. His shirt sported the slice of the blade. He opened his shirt and revealed smooth, healed skin. Nothing but a faint scar showed that anything had happened.

A strangled gasp made him look up. Messenger stood rigid on the other side of the adjoining coffin. She gawked at them with a mixture of shock and outrage. The outrage quickly won over and she balled her hands into fists. "H-how could you escape death? How?" she screamed.

Sarah turned and scowled at her. "Because you're evil and evil doesn't win!"

Messenger picked up the book and flipped through the pages. "There must be some way to bring back my baby! There must!" The monster in the doorway groaned. She whipped her head up and glared at him. "Shut up, Ben! You want our baby back as much as I do!"

Ben groaned again, louder and more persistent. He shambled into the room and reached out his hands toward her. Messenger's eyes widened and she stumbled away from his rotting fingers. "S-stay back! So long as I have this book-" she held up the tome, "-you have to obey me!"

Willie leapt across Sarah's coffin and landed between former-husband and wife. He snatched the book away from her and dove over to the far side of the tomb where he held up the tome. "I've got it now, Ben!"

Ben bowed his head to Willie before he returned his attention to Messenger. He curled his lips back in a hideous snarl and lunged for her. Messenger screamed and ducked out of the way. She raced around Sarah's coffin and out the door, nearly crashing into Julia and Barnabas. The frantic woman shoved her way through them and ran off into the woods. Ben rushed out of the tomb and past the startled pair as he followed his former wife into the darkness.

Julia blinked at the vanished pair and glanced at Barnabas. "What in the world was that?"

He shook his head before he returned his gaze to the tomb. "I don't know, but we must look inside."

The pair hurried up the short flight of steps and into the tomb. "Hiya," Willie greeted them as he dropped the book onto the floor.

"Willie!" Julia cried out as she hurried to his side and grasped his quivering arms. "Willie, what happened?"

"I'll tell you later," Willie promised as he sank onto Joshua's coffin. "Right now I just want to sleep."

Barnabas didn't pay either of them any heed. His attention lay on the short figure that illuminated one corner of the tomb. He knelt down and stretched out his hand to her. "Sarah," he whispered. She hesitated. "Sarah, I've missed you so much. I've tired to do good as you wanted. I really have."

She grasped her hands behind her back and searched his face. "But you did so much evil, Barnabas. I don't know if I should forgive you."

"But it's Christmas," Willie spoke up.

Sarah pursed her lips, but her eyes flickered back to Barnabas. "I suppose. . ."

A wide smile brightened Barnabas' face. "Then you forgive me?"

Sarah returned his smile with one of her own and gave a nod. "I forgive you."

Barnabas opened his arms and she rushed into them. After nearly a hundred and eighty years the siblings once more embraced one another. Barnabas stroked her long, silky hair. "Oh Sarah. Oh dear, sweet Sarah."

While one family found peace, another was at the end of their days. Messenger stumbled through the thick woods without a thought for where she was going, and close at her heels was her monstrous ex-husband. The distance between them slowly closed as branches laden with snow slapped her in the face and her feet tripped over hidden rock and root.

Messenger reached a clearing with a small hump in the middle. In her rush she tripped over a rock and stumbled onto the mound, catching herself with her hands. A noise behind her made her hair stand on end. She stood and spun around to face the angry monster, her very own creation as he raced toward her. Cold revenge lay deep in his eyes.

"Please, Ben! Please don't-"

Ben reached her and wrapped his hands around her throat. Messenger leaned backward away from him to escape. Her foot slipped on the wet snow and they tumbled backward into the old well. Messenger's scream echoed up and down the stone walls until there came a loud thud, and then there was silence.

A short time later found the Old House reoccupied and a warm fire burning in its hearth. Barnabas sat in his usual chair with the family album open on his lap. He flipped through the pages with a smile on his lips as Julia entered the room.

"I've put Willie to bed," she spoke up as she took her seat in the other chair.

Barnabas looked up from his perusing. "How is he?"

"A little shaken, but otherwise unharmed." She sank into the chair and shook her head. "But I still can't understand how he survived Messenger's knife attack."

A coy smile slipped onto Barnabas' lips. "The world between the living and the dead grants favors as well as curses. Perhaps in this instance the innocence of Sarah brought back the lost soul of Willie and repaired the damage."

Julia shrugged. "I suppose, and I wonder how much more of Sarah we'll see."

Barnabas closed the book and leaned back with a smile on his lips. "Much more, and that is a Christmas present that was worth the wait."

Upstairs Willie's room was quiet and dark. He lay in his bed with his eyes closed.

"Willie," a soft voice called to him.

Willie opened his eyes and saw Sarah standing beside his bed with her hands behind her back. He sat up and smiled at her. "Hiya, Sarah."

She blushed and looked at the bed. "I. . .I have a present for you." She drew out one of her hands and revealed her ball. "I'd like you to have this. It's not much, but I hope you can accept this Christmas gift."

Willie shook his head. "I couldn't."

"Please. It would mean so much to me," Sarah pleaded.

Willie smiled and took the present. "Thanks." She nodded and turned away from him. "Wait. Where are you going?"

Sarah stopped in front of his window and half-turned to smile at him. "I won't be far, and when I come back will you play ball with me?"

He clutched the ball in both his hands and gave a nod. "I'd like that."

Willie blinked and in the brief instance Sarah had vanished. Still, he felt her soothing presence as he lay down with the ball clasped against his chest. He closed his eyes for some well-deserved sleep. It had been a frightening but wonderful Christmas, and one he would never forget.


End file.
